


Hack n' Slash

by Aurorafulnerd



Series: LU Disc stuff [1]
Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Warriors
Genre: And may have failed to mention where in all those time/space rifts lead..., Feat. Worried Strategist who lost his team, Gen, Wow that's a lot of monsters!, and put two and two together as to where they are
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 06:24:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18404942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aurorafulnerd/pseuds/Aurorafulnerd
Summary: It had started out like any other morning. The sun had been shining, the birds were singing. Sky, an early riser, had cheerily whistled along. The smell of Wild's specialty omelets had even the most grudging of them eagerly anticipating the start of their day. He had packed his stuff, made sure the fight yesterday hadn't stained his scarf, and they were off.That's where things started going downhill.





	Hack n' Slash

It had started out like any other morning. The sun had been shining, the birds were singing. Sky, an early riser, had cheerily whistled along. The smell of Wild's specialty omelets had even the most grudging of them eagerly anticipating the start of their day. He had packed his stuff, made sure the fight yesterday hadn't stained his scarf, and they were off. 

That's where things started going downhill.

It had been decided last night that they were somewhere in Sky's time for the moment. He had taken the lead, telling them about the forest they were in. How he had helped a dragon here, closer to the giant tree that loomed nearby. He called out happily to the little round creatures that hid from them in the grass. Kikwis, he assured them, were not threats. 

The eagerness in his voice and the spring in his step was subtle, but noticeable, as he told them of the nearby Bird Statues. How they had to go to the Sealed Grounds because the other statues had lost their magic. Behind his back, grins were exchanged at the thought of their grounded companion returning to his namesake. As much fun and banter they poked at each other, they were all genuinely pleased to see their earliest ancestor in such high spirits.

However, his good mood hadn't lasted. It was barely an hour after they set off in the morning before something in his demeanor changed. They hadn't pressed him at first, figuring it was bad memories or something equally personal. But when it persisted they had gingerly brought it up.

"Something's wrong," He had told them, "It's not my world."

 

Warrior mentally kicked himself again. He should have realized it then, not 3 hours of travel later, and after being separated from the rest of the Links. They weren't in Sky's world. They were in the time-warped version Cia had connected to his.

For the sixth time, he checks his map as he runs. For the sixth time, he is disappointed to find that it isn't updating magically as it normally does. He feels blind without it, he has no idea where the enemy troops are, nor does he have any clue as to where his team might be. He's encountered more than one closed keep that could have been avoided, and it's starting to rub on his nerves. Forcefully, he pushes down the panic that arises in him as he unhelpfully remembers that the others have never fought monsters in these numbers before. They can't cut through 20 at a time and move on.

He skids to a halt, realizing that in his daze he's turned himself to check somewhere he's already been. He's their tactician, and the one who knows this fight. They'll be counting on him to find them, and if he doesn't...

He needs to _think._

Dumbly, he sets to clearing the area he's in, ducking into and capturing the nearest keep. The flowing movement of combos and dodges and parries comes back like an old friend. And when the keep boss is dead and the monsters stop spawning, he blankly sets his gaze on the wall and urges his brain to come back to his normal sensibility.

Slowly, a list of objectives comes together.

1\. Find his group.

They'll be alright until he finds them, he tells himself to stop the worry. Yes, they may not have experience with exactly this situation, but they're still trained and battle-tested veterans. This place couldn't be that different from how it is in Sky's time. If they have any sense they'll have holed up in some keep or another, and are playing defensively until the waves stop.

2\. Check all the keeps.

They have to be in one of them, there's no place else for them to go. He tries not to think about the implications of if he doesn't find them.

3\. Find the summoner.

This many monsters wouldn't be here unless there was a boss or summoner around somewhere. He had to find it and take it out as soon as he could if he wanted to prevent the monsters from overtaking his friends. And finally:

4\. Capture the keeps around the pit.

He hopes that this is after he came through here with Fi. He has no will to fight The Imprisoned again, and he can't hear Girahim from his fort, but it's better safe than dead if he's checking keeps anyway.

He feels better as soon as he has a plan set. Straightening, he flourishes his sword once, and sets out. 

He works his way clockwise, climbing out of the pit, from where he was at West Cannon Keep. Encountering little resistance from the hordes in his path. He finds all doors into the temple sealed, with no gatekeepers in sight, so he continues. After a while, it falls into the same, monotonous rhythm as he clears out the monsters. Thrust, parry, cleave, shield. Hack and slash his way through hundreds, monster blood staining his hands and clothing. Focus to take down the few tougher monsters he faces off against, a special attack when they become so thick in front of him he can no longer see the path.

 

He crosses 3 off his list when he reaches the Southeast Keep and finds a giant Stalmaster. He quickly launches out of its way as it fixates glowing red eyes on him. He feels the breeze of its swing through were he was just standing. Turning on a dime, he launches toward it while it was unprepared. Three quick slashes give him the opening he needs to slam his shield into its brittle bones. They crack under the hit, but it's still standing, so he backs away to await his next opening, deftly swiping his sword through several of the bokoblins that have spawned to surround him as he retreats.

Keeping the Stalmaster in the corner of his vision, he watches for the telltale red flash of its eyes or gathering of winds. He turns his body from it as he watches and begins the process of clearing bokoblins to force the keep master into the open.

He sees the rush of wind from the Stalmaster just as he begins to run out of bokoblins to kill. Feeling the rush of winds on his blood-laden clothing, he rolls out of the way of the Stalmaster's strikes before ducking under it's guard to land another shield smash. This one completely shatters its shield arm, and sets cracks of severe damage along it's ribcage and spine. His arm tingles unpleasantly from the force behind the blow, but now, without it's shield, the fight becomes easier. 

He darts in for a few blows before dodging out of its range to clear bokoblins from his back. The keep boss, sensing imminent defeat, appears, and he quickly deals with it. Without having to worry about the endless supply of bokoblins, he settles into a circling pattern with the massive skeleton, waiting. It doesn't take long before it grows impatient, and lunges for him. He dodges, and a final blow with his shield shatters it's spine, leaving it to turn to dust.

He desperately hopes that the quelling of the monster waves will be enough to keep his team safe until he reaches them. Pushing on through the worry becomes harder and harder as the final keeps fall before him. Each one he clears is the dwindling chances of him finding his companions, until at last he stands before the West Keep. His final chance.

He pauses just outside of it's walls, sick anticipation settling in his stomach, before stepping in. His throat becomes uncomfortably tight as he scans the room, and finds it empty bar the usual monsters. Numbly, he sets to clearing it, as with the others, and as soon as the keep master falls, he allows himself to back up and slide down the first solid surface he touches. If his laugh is strained and broken, even to his own ears, it's not like there's anyone around to hear.

They were gone, and it was because he had failed to recognize his own time-warped reality. He shakily breathes in, holds it for a few seconds, and breathes out a soft, uneasy sigh. His shield and the sheath of his sword press uncomfortably into his back. On his neck, his scarf is all bunched up and sticky with sweat and monster blood. He closes his eyes and counts to ten before attempting to rationalize.

Yes, he hadn't found them in the keeps. But, he _hadn't found them in the keeps._ No bodies or footprints or signs of a scuffle. They _had_ to be okay, somewhere. 

He sits like that for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts. Where would they have gone? Where would he take a group to protect them, if he was Sky? Back into the woods? He had to check. Dead or alive, they couldn't have just vanished. But he can't bring himself to move because he, of all people, knows bodies could be just as easily teleported away from the battle as to it. And the bodies of 8 heroes would be invaluable possessions to whoever had the summoner stationed here.

The creeping dread of it all sends shivers down his spine. It feels like a failed mission, and a painfully personal one at that. He had completed objectives 2,3, and 4. But he had failed the first, most important one. He hadn't found them, and he could almost hear their voices calling to him. Wind in particular pleading that he not be dead. 

From his spot on the ground, his eyes snap open to fixate on the sky. He hears them again, and its not quite right. It sounds almost as if _they_ are looking for _him._

Then it clicks.

Scarcely breathing, afraid he might break the spell, he bolts to his feet and out of the keep. Looks down, over the edge, a level down into the pit, and there they are. Emerging quietly from a newly opened door to the temple. 

"They're gone," he hears Four note as they look over the trail of gore and monster parts that litter the land.

"It has to be Warrior," Wind says, "He has to be okay, right?" 

He finds his voice in the way their youngest hero looks to Time for reassurance. He doesn't miss the way Time turns away without answering.

"Up here." He says, and their heads jerk up to him. A wave of tension releases from their shoulders, and from his as he takes in their relatively unharmed states.

Their reunion is full of quiet, relieved grins between the 9 of them as they share their respective stories. Now, without the adrenaline, exhaustion from his fight overtakes him, and he feels the scratches he's taken with more clarity than he appreciates. Looking over the bloodbath he's waded through, he makes a mental note to warn them about the other time-warps. Just as soon as he washes the blood out of his scarf that is.


End file.
